Park Hae-il (; born 26 January 1977) is a South Korean actor. He began his acting career in theater, but soon gained the film industry's attention in 2003 with Scent of Love and Memories of Murder. Park's film career took off, with leading roles in notable films, including Rules of Dating (2005), The Host (2006), Moss (2010), Eungyo (2012), Whistle Blower (2014), The Last Princess (2016), The Fortress (2017), and Hansan: Rising Dragon (2022).
For his performances in the historical drama War of the Arrows (2011) and romantic thriller Decision to Leave (2022), Park received multiple Best Actor honors including the Blue Dragon Film Awards and the Grand Bell Awards.
Career Park Hae-il began appearing in theatre productions ever since childhood, and he first established himself on stage rather than on the screen. In 2000 he was awarded the Best New Actor award in the theatre category of the Baeksang Arts Awards for his role in the play Cheongchun-yechan ("Ode to Youth"). His film debut was in a minor role in Yim Soon-rye's Waikiki Brothers, however he left a major impression in his second film Jealousy Is My Middle Name, in which he played a conflicted young man who develops a fascination/hatred for his boss, who has stolen two women from him. The film won the top prize at the Busan International Film Festival in 2002, and was released commercially the following spring."Actors and Actresses of Korean Cinema: Park Hae-il" . Koreanfilm.org. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
Throughout his career, Park has been cast in two different types of roles: innocent-looking, boyish characters, or else men who hide a dark streak under a nice-looking exterior. After Jealousy, Park would take on his darkest role of all in the acclaimed smash hit Memories of Murder, where he portrayed a man suspected of committing serial murder. Yet the following year he was just as effective appearing in a romantic role opposite Jeon Do-yeon in time-travel drama My Mother, the Mermaid.
In 2005, he once again played characters of completely opposite temperament. In Rules of Dating, he plays a dirty-minded, scheming high school instructor who sets his mind on a pretty student teacher played by Kang Hye-jung,Lee, Min-a (7 June 2005). "Flirting teachers spice their job with romance" . Korea JoongAng Daily. while in Boy Goes to Heaven he plays a young boy who suddenly finds himself an adult one day, like Tom Hanks in Big.
2006 saw him return to work with acclaimed director Bong Joon-ho in the big-budget monster movie The Host which went on to become the best-selling Korean film of all time.
Murder mystery Paradise Murdered was a surprise hit in 2007, with Kyu Hyun Kim of Koreanfilm.org calling Park "an inspired choice for the ostensible protagonist, projecting fatigued compassion and cold calculation in equal measure, his obsidian pupils glistening with streaks of chilling obsession."Kim, Kyu Hyun. "Paradise Murdered" . Koreanfilm.org. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
In 2008, he starred in the period drama Modern Boy, a dramatic love story set in 1930s Gyeongseong or old Seoul, when Korea was under Japanese colonization (1910–45). Park played the role of a rich, hedonistic playboy who does not care that his country was colonized, then falls head over heels in love with a beautiful and mysterious independence fighter (Kim Hye-soo).Lee, Hyo-won (30 September 2008). "Modern Boy: Reinterpretation of Japanese Colonialism?" . The Korea Times.
After small supporting roles in Shim's Family (also known as Skeletons in the Closet),"Media attention focuses on Hwang" . Korea JoongAng Daily. 27 February 2007. and Good Morning, President,Lee, Hyo-won (9 October 2009). "President Offers Politically Correct Drama, Flawed Politics" . The Korea Times. Park joined the ensemble cast of A Million as one of eight participants who take part in a TV reality show in Perth, Australia but discover that they must literally survive to win the prize of 1 million dollars.
In 2010, Park headlined Kang Woo-suk's blockbuster mystery thriller Moss, playing a young man who comes to a rural village after hearing about his father's death and later becomes embroiled in its hidden secrets. Park's casting was received enthusiastically by fans of the source material, Yoon Tae-ho's hugely popular online graphic novel series.Song, Won-seop (19 July 2010). "Mitchell, Moss and management". Korea JoongAng Daily.
Heartbeat explores a familial love battle of wills, as Yeon-hee (played by Yunjin Kim of Lost fame) whose daughter is in desperate need of a heart transplant, tries to convince a brain-dead patient's son (Park) to sign off on the transplant, but he refuses and instead investigates his mother's fall.Han, Sang-hee (4 December 2010). "Kim Yun-jin, Park Hae-il's battle of hearts" . The Korea Times. He then appeared in the low-budget indie End of Animal, because he found the script "very interesting.""Park Hae Il: 'I Want to Present Diverse Acting'". KBS Global. 4 January 2011.
Park next starred in War of the Arrows, a fictional tale set in the Joseon period, which follows Nam-yi (Park) on his search for younger sister Ja-in after she is kidnapped by Qing Dynasty soldiers during an invasion. As he slays enemy soldiers with his bow and arrow, he is confronted by Jushinta, a Manchu enemy commander also well known for his archery prowess. Arrow made headlines by selling to distributors from six countries at the Cannes film marketKwaak, Je-yup (24 June 2011). "Arrow aims ultimate summer success" . The Korea Times.Lee, Hyo-won (4 August 2011). "Arrow aims for new horizons" . The Korea Times. and becoming the highest-grossing Korean film of 2011. Park won Best Actor honors at the prestigious Grand Bell Awards and Blue Dragon Film Awards.Lee, Claire (19 October 2011). "Kim Ha-neul, Park Hae-il get top honors at Daejong Film Awards" . The Korea Herald.Lee, Claire (27 November 2011). "The Unjust best picture at Blue Dragon Awards". The Korea Herald.
He returned to the big screen in A Muse, a film adaptation of celebrated author Park Bum-shin's sensational novel about an old poet who ends up falling for a 17-year-old girl named Eun-gyo. Upon realizing his love for the teenager, the poet goes through emotional turmoil and self-destruction, while willing to give up his fame as one of the nation's most respected literary figures. The 35-year-old actor took on the challenge of nearly eight hours of makeup daily, on top of learning the weary gait and gesture of a man in his 70s.Lee, Claire (27 March 2012). "Park Hae-il back on the big screen as poet". The Korea Herald.
After Yim Pil-sung's Weekend Prince was delayed,Hong, Lucia (24 April 2012). "Park Hae-il to star in comedy flick with Song Sae-byeok" . 10Asia. Park starred instead in Song Hae-sung's ensemble black comedy Boomerang Family (2013), and Zhang Lu's introspective romance drama Gyeongju (2014).
In December 2022, Park decided not to renew his contract with the former agency. In April 2023, Park signed with Makestar.
In 2023, Park became a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Personal life Park married his longtime girlfriend Seo Yoo-seon on 11 March 2006;"박해일 결혼식의 전도연, 송강호 등 스타 하객들" . Star News (in Korean). 11 March 2006."박해일씨 결혼식모습과 축하해주러온 연예인들" . Daum (in Korean). 14 March 2006. they have two children. Seo is a playwright and has also written an episode of KBS Drama Special titled Ji-hoon, Born in 1982."Park Hae-il's wife writes Drama Special – Ji-hoon's Born in 1982" . TV Report via Hancinema. 23 October 2011.Son, Jin-ah (16 April 2012). "Park Hae-il talks about his love story "I got a crush on my wife because she bought me drinks"" . StarN News.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 2001 Waikiki Brothers young Sung-woo 2002 Who R. U.? Man in photograph Bit part2003 Scent of Love Seo In-ha Jealousy Is My Middle Name Lee Won-sang Memories of Murder Park Hyeon-gyu 2004 My Mother, the Mermaid Kim Jin-guk2005 Rules of Dating Lee Yoo-rim Boy Goes to Heaven Bae Ne-mo 2006 The Host Park Nam-il2007 Skeletons in the Closet Kyung-ho Cameo Paradise Murdered Jae Woo-sung 2008 Modern Boy Lee Hae-myeong2009 A Million Han Ki-tae Good Morning, President Man requesting a transplantCameo2010 Moss Ryu Hae-guk Second Half Director Bong Voice Cameo2011 Heartbeat Lee Hwi-do End of Animal Baseball cap War of the Arrows Choi Nam-yi2012 Doomsday Book RU-4 robot (voice) Segment: "The Heavenly Creature" A Muse Lee Jeok-yo Dangerously Excited Dae-hee's brother Cameo The Winter of the Year Was Warm Radio critic Voice cameo 2013 Boomerang Family Oh In-mo2014 Gyeongju Choi Hyeon Santa Barbara Reporter Voice cameo Whistle Blower Yoon Min-cheol My Dictator Tae-sik 2015 Love and... 1st lighting technician 2016 The Last PrincessKim Jang-han 2017 The Fortress King Injo2018 High Society Jang Tae-joon Ode to the Goose Yoon-young2019 The King's Letters Shinmi2021 Heaven: To the Land of Happiness Nam-sik 2022 Decision to Leave Hae-jun Hansan: Rising Dragon Yi Sun-sin 2026 The Assassin(s) Jae-hwan
Short film Year Title Role 2003 Audition Yoon Ji-seok 2009 The End Hae-il 2011 Endless Joke
Television series Year Title Role Notes 1997 The Third Man Special appearance 2004 How to Paint the Portrait of a Bird Span Drama episode (TV, MBC) 2014 Plus Nine Boys Nine victims Cameo
Music videos Year Song title Artist 2000 "Dan" Kim Don-gyu 2002 "Forever" G. Gorilla 2003 "Did We Really Love" Brown Eyed Soul 2019 "Light" Bek Hyun-jin
Theater Year Title Role 2000 Ode to Youth 2003 Othello Family Baguette 2003 Generation After Generation
Accolades
Awards and nominations